A Life To Choose
by breakingawayfromyou
Summary: When Cassandra is given a piece of aztec gold she stumbles across Jack Sparrow and he takes her away without any intension of taking her back. But when she comes across her former love on the open sea she has to choose between him and Jack. R&R!


And they said life couldn't get any harder. More stressful and distorted. Cassandra was the type of girl who was not born out of money but instead of absolutely nothing. She hadn't a dime to her name. She was often looked at as a beautiful girl with dazzling green eyes and wavy brown hair. The rich pitied her but never thought of helping her out. Not that it was uncommon. She lived in a small town nearby Tortuga. In fact just on the other side of the rock. She dreamed of escaping her town and flee to Tortuga. She'd rather be poor and around action and chaos rather then poor and bored. She worked in the towns Tavern, 'Dark Horse' for the past four years. Now at the age of 20 she began to feel lonely and useless. When she was a girl she dreamed that by now she would be married to a handsome man or a rogue and have at least a single child. Only then would she be happy.  
  
She often tried to stow away on the passing ships but sailors caught her and disagreed to her request to sail with them. They only thought of her as a girl with nothing worth of her except for her company. She wasn't happy with it but at least it gave her money. And her bartending wage was so little that she could hardly pay the rent to her little room that had nothing but a bed, a closet, and a table with a bowl of water for bathing. But what those sailors did not know about her was that she was an experienced sailor. Her father was a pirate and her mother joined him when they fell in love. When Cassandra entered their lives her father taught her everything thing she needed to know from swordsmanship to sailing a vessel. But she wouldn't be able to do it herself. And so she was stuck in the little town she called home. She stayed with her parents until threat came about so they dropped her off on this island when she was only sixteen. They did it for her protection and said they would come back for her but they never did. Not even a letter. She later found out that the Royal Navy killed them. It was then that Cassandra lost all hope. Of everything she held dear in her heart.  
  
Now on a Saturday afternoon, the day before she planned to escape her present life, she sat behind the bar. She rested her chin on her hand as her elbow rested on the scratched wooden counter. Her eyes squinted against the flame she stared at. A young man pushed the creaky door open and walked in. It was one her unwed lover. He greeted her with a friendly yet flirty smile and stepped up to the bar. He sat on a stool in front of her and turned this gaze to his pocket as he rummaged through it. He snapped his gaze back at her and dropped a small bag on the counter. When it hit the wood it clanked like coins. It was music to Cassandra's ears.  
  
"Where did you get it?" she asked as she picked it up and opened it. She peered in eagerly to find 5 silver coins and a gold coin. The gold coin had a skull etched in it and several little twists and spirals around it.  
  
"I got the silver pieces when I sold my sword. It wasn't worth much. If I owned your sword then I'd be a rich man. And I would have you as my own. But that would require wealth and good shelter with plenty of food and clothing." he replied a little gloomy.  
  
Cassandra smiled at him and caressed his cheek with her soft fingertips. "You know you have me. I just want to leave this place. Forever. And for you to come with me." she finished quickly.  
  
He sighed and looked at her longingly. He looked sad. Cassandra looked at him curiously.  
  
"I've been assigned to a mission. A journey on sea. I'll be gone for months. I didn't want to when they assigned me but then they told me the price. It's enough to buy us a home. You leave for Tortuga and I'll meet you there. I leave at dawn." he said quietly.  
  
"Tomorrow? Already?" she asked sounding a bit distraught.  
  
"Aye. But I promise we will have what we've always wanted. A life of adventure on the open sea. Or we can sail from island to island until we find a place we want to settle." he replied trying to be enthusiastic about it.  
  
Cassandra bit her lip, her brows pointed downward. She looked back in the little bag. Desperate to find a different conversation she turned to the odd gold coin.  
  
"Tom."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What is this coin? It's rather odd. I've never seen anything like it before."  
  
"I wouldn't know. I found it when I was out wading in the reef for clams and crabs. It looks like gold so I figure that it's valuable." he answered as he studied it from his distance.  
  
"Do you really think it could be gold?" she asked sounding like a child that had gotten some candy.  
  
Relieved that she was in a better mood he smiled and nodded. Wealth seemed to make her smile. Like it gave her hope. Like it was something she could look up to.  
  
A group of sailors came in then, laughing and shouting absurd comments. Cassandra stuffed the bag into a small cabinet on her side of the bar and kissed Tom goodbye.  
  
"Come over my place around ten. I'll be there waiting for you." she said to him.  
  
Tom smiled and nodded. He walked past the sailors who now had their attention on Cassandra.  
  
"Hello there. What can I get you?" she asked with a sweet smile.  
  
"How's bout some company tonight gorgeous." one said.  
  
Tom looked back frowning. Cassandra had ignored the mans comment and was pouring them there order of whiskey. He turned away and left. Cassandra watched him go.  
  
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Sorry it was so short. Anywayz.........review please:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 


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